


Death Will Be My Master

by Rodya_Smith



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (1963), Doctor Who (2005), Doctor Who (Big Finish Audio)
Genre: Angst, Audio 049: Master, Doctor Who: Academy Era, Gallifrey, Gen, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-21
Updated: 2017-08-21
Packaged: 2018-12-18 09:52:12
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11871837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rodya_Smith/pseuds/Rodya_Smith
Summary: Since he has joined the Academy, Koschei's always had nightmares. Perhaps it's the drum's fault, driving him crazy. Except one night he goes to sleep with the smell of fire and burned meat on his robe, and a deep sense of guilt. That's the night that will change his life, for the omnipresent Death claims her champion





	Death Will Be My Master

He was running. In his dreams, he always ran, always escaping from something. Sometimes Theta was by his side, both trapped in some crazy adventure on a planet far far away; usually, he was alone, and scared.  
This time he was lost in the Wild-Lands, desperately trying to get back to the Citadel. The rye was high, he couldn’t see where he was going; directions didn’t exist anymore, and neither did time. How long had he been in that bright yellow hell? There was absolutely nothing in that dream, except for the never-ending drumming and a sense of danger and fear.  
Suddenly, he stopped. A whisper was calling his name, his real name. Then, a strong wind started blowing, causing him to fall to his knees and shut his eyes.  
  
«Koschei!»  
  
Everything returned still. He slowly opened his eyes, too afraid to look at the person standing in front of him.  
  
«Theta? What… What happened? You look terrible.» Indeed, he was soaked wet, the sleeves of his robe a bit burned, sprays of blood all over his clothes and hair.  
  
«You know what happened. Everybody knows. Shame on you, Kosh; because of you, we were exiled. Not even the Outlanders want us to join them. We are the scum of Gallifrey, and it’s your fault.»  
  
The boy began to tremble. «I didn’t do anything! I’m innocent, I swear! It was you, not me!»  
  
«You expect me to believe it? I saw what you did. Even the Gods were watching. You are the worst criminal, you didn’t deserve to be loomed. You didn’t even deserve to have a place in the Matrix.»  
  
«Why do you have to be so mean? I didn’t do anything!» He put his hands over the ears, trying to stop Theta’s insults and the drums, closer and stronger than even, never letting him rest, driving him insane…  
  
Something thick was soaking his hands. As soon as he realized, he looked at them and froze. Blood, blood everywhere. He screamed with horror and began to cry.  
  
«Theta, please! Help me! I didn’t do it, I swear, I didn’t! You have to believe me, please!»  
  
«It’s too late.» The voice came out distorted, as somebody else was taking Theta’s place. «It’s too late.» Torvic stood, with head smashed and bits of brain dropping from the back of the skull.  
  
«Torvic, I’m sorry, I didn’t do it! I didn’t mean to do it! My friend was drowning, I had to do something!»  
  
«You are a murderer. You are evil. You only deserve to die.»  
  
The scared boy curled on the grass, sobbing and shaking. He wanted to go home, to be safe. He wished to go back to the House of Oakwood, before he became a criminal, before he watched inside the schism. Would his life always be like that? Full of grief, and remorse, and shame, and fear? Was it the burden of Time Lords, or just the punishment for his crime?  
  
The wind blew once again, and everything turned gray. Now a woman stood before him. «You are such a baby. Stand up and show a bit of respect.»  
  
Still shivering, Koschei obeyed against his will; there was something weird about her, something mystical. He had never seen her. Who could she possibly be?  
  
«You are incredibly slow, my dear. I can’t believe I was forced to pick the stupid one. But finally you understand: I’m not part of your subconscious. I’m Death, and you shall be my champion.»  
  
«Your what?»  
  
«You killed a boy in cold blood. Therefore, from now on your soul is mine. You shall be my servant and slaughter on my behalf.»  
  
He took a couple of steps back. «I-I don’t want to do it.»  
  
«As if you had a choice»  
  
«I’m not a murderer.»  
  
«Torvic begs to differ.»  
  
He looked down at his feet. If she was real, then he couldn’t afford to look scared; he had to be brave and persuade her to leave him alone. He knew he didn’t have a chance, but he had to try.  
«Isn’t it a bit weird? Punishing a murderer by forcing him to commit other murders? It’s obvious that I feel guilty right now, anyone could see it. But if I kill again and again I’ll eventually get used to it, and be okay with it, or even happy, who knows. What kind of punishment is that?»  
  
Death was almost impressed. «You’re smart. I didn’t expect you to be clever, since you are the dumb one. But maybe you can still achieve great things… You see, I need a champion, so I don’t care how you feel at all. You must do your job, and your job is to serve me. Be cheerful, or desperate, or resigned, I really don’t care. From now on you do as you’re told.»  
  
Koschei realized he couldn’t outsmart her. There was nothing he could do. He knew he was going to lose against her, but he didn’t expect not to be able to fight her back, at least a little bit. He was her slave, now and forever. He would become a Time Lord, eventually, and be bound to her in every single regeneration. Maybe, even in the Matrix, and in his next life. He was hers now, her possession, her toy, her little tin soldier.  
He was desperate. He looked are her with those big, sad, hopeless eyes, and murmured a question. «Why me?»  
  
«I’m sorry? Speak louder.»  
  
He raised his trembling voice. «Why me? I’m not the only one to have ever killed somebody. I’m sure it’s plenty of mighty, fearless, ruthless Time Lords. Why me? I’m just a child»  
  
Death approached him, and Koschei feared she might have hit him or become violent and froze, incapable of moving and running away. Instead, she put a hand on the top of his head and gently patted. She lovingly whispered his real name. «You poor thing. You think I want to hurt you? You’re mine, now, and you will be of no use if I mistreat you. It’s not me who wants to hurt you; beware of who you call your friend. Tell me, are the drums now worse than ever?»  
  
«How do you know?»  
  
She giggled. «I’m a goddess, I know everything. And I know who put that nasty sound inside your little head. That sound is there for a reason, and a very, very long journey is taking you to the exact point in time and space where it will all be clear. You will suffer unspeakable things, your beloved ones will die like flies. Time will harden your heart and consume your soul. Your whole planet will turn its back at you, your very best friend will betray you. This is your future, and right now it has become fixed. There’s no escape, no more.»  
  
Koschei weighted her words, and chose to ignore most of them. There was one line who had disturbed him, though. «Theta will never betray me. Of that, I’m sure. There are horrible things waiting for me, I believe you, but Theta Sigma will always be my side, always.»  
  
«You are so silly. Do you hear how silly and childish those words sound? You think true friendship lasts forever? Think again, for the Doctor has already betrayed you.»  
  
«The Doctor?»  
  
«That’s the name he’ll chose. In the whole universe, people will fear his name. He’ll be the oncoming storm, the destroyer of worlds. Do you think such a man is not capable of betrayal?»  
  
«If he is so powerful, why am I your champion, and not him?»  
  
Death smiled. «He will cause the death of thousands, possibly millions. I don’t need his loyalty. Besides, he begged me to take you instead of him, and Time was so insistent…»  
  
He stared in horror. Why she visited Theta? Why she proposed him to be her champion? It didn’t make any sense, since he was the one who had killed Torvic. And what about the Doctor? Was it real or just a story to scare him?  
  
She seemed to read his mind. «So many questions… It’s a pity I won’t give you the answers. Actually, you are going to wake up in a minute, and you won’t remember a thing.»  
  
«Then how will I know I’m yours?»  
  
«You won’t. I’ll whisper in your hear, like a ghost, like the wind. Like the never-ending drums. And you’ll know. It’s going to be really funny. Goodbye, my son.»  
  
He found himself alone. The suns were too hot, the rye too close, the sky too bright and far. He felt like suffocating, a prisoner in that endless field. He started running and tried to focus.  
“I have to remember. I have to. I’m Death’s champion. She will force me to kill. I’m in danger; Theta is in danger too. The Doctor, I have to tell him about the Doctor. He can’t become that horrible man, I won’t allow it. I’m Death’s champion. I have to stop her, I have to fight her. I have to remember. I’m Death’s champion.”  
He kept running and running, until there was no rye, no field, no ground. He fell off the cliff, and felt the wind against his cheeks, like a gentle caress. He fell and fell, and woke up in his bed, sweaty and frightened. He could not recall what was he dreaming about, but he could still hear a crow laughing and a shiver down the spine.  
  
“Theta” he murmured. He realized he was crying. “What the hell have we done?”

**Author's Note:**

> In the Big Finish audio "Master", Death says he visited the Doctor in his dreams and asked her to be her champion. He refused, so she took the Master instead. So that's what happens next, when Death enslaves little Koschei in his dreams.  
> I can't get over that audio, I just love it so much, it's too interesting...  
> Thanks to everybody who has read it all, I hope you enjoyed it and you decide to leave a little comment, I'd really appreciate it


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